Kyiv or Kiev (Ukrainian: Київ) is the capital and largest city of Ukraine with - officially - approximately 3 million inhabitants (unofficially up to 4 million inhabitants). The city was founded on the banks of Dnipro River. The transliteration of the city's name from Ukrainian is "Kyiv", and this variation is now promoted in English language materials in Ukraine, international organizations and suggested for use in major English-speaking countries. The spelling of the city's name is a linguistic controversy, as it is argued by some that the long-established "Kiev" spelling is based on the Russian transliteration that was prevalent during the Soviet occupation and therefore is a reminder of Russian influence over Ukraine (although the city itself and the name predate the existence of Russia). Others argue that the spelling 'Kiev' is simply the established English-language name and is still used by publications such as the Financial Times and The Economist, and that its use does not imply Russian imperialist connotations.

Ukrainians are very proud of their capital's role in establishing European civilization in Eastern Europe.

Kyiv is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, dating back to the 5th century, although settlements at this location existed much earlier. By the late 9th century, Kyiv had become the de facto capital of an emerging Eastern Slavic state. Between the 10th and early 13th centuries, the city reached its golden age as the capital of the first Ukrainian state known today as Kyivan Rus, (Rus-Ukraine). This state created the religious and cultural foundations for modern Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

In the middle of the 13th century, Kyivan Rus was overrun by the Mongols. Later that century, Kyiv became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1569 the city was absorbed into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in 1654 it was liberated from that Commonwealth by the Cossack, Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, who then promptly signed the city over to Russia. This action continues to be a sore point for Ukrainian nationalists.

In 1775, Kyiv was annexed by the Russian Empire. The city remained under Russian rule, with brief but uncertain periods of independence between 1918 and 1920. Over these two centuries, Kyiv experienced growing Russification and Russian immigration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it became the capital of independent Ukraine and is now discovering its place as a large European capital.

It is generally acknowledged that the population is over 3,000,000 (2006 estimates). About 85% claim Ukrainian ethnicity and about 12% Russian. However, the census numbers are believed to be unreliable so these percentages must be taken with a pinch of salt. There are many minorities in the city, including Armenians, Azeris, Belarussians, Jewish, Georgians, Polish, Romanians and Tatars. Since 2001, not only has the population of Kyiv increased, but also the percentage of people claiming Ukrainian ethnicity. This is probably a result of the strong nationalist movement centered in Kyiv during the Orange Revolution (October 2004 to January 2005).

Officially, all signs are in Ukrainian only. Since 2011, signs with Latin transliteration have been installed in the city center. Although many people continue to speak Russian, even most of these are ethnically Ukrainian. Hearing Ukrainian on the streets is now increasingly common. Although many Russian language-learning programs offer trips to the city, the usefulness of these trips is decreasing as the Ukrainian language in now in resurgence and the main language of the city again, after having been rarely heard since the beginning of the 20th century when it was discouraged by occupying Russian authorities.

According to the national census taken in 2001, about 93% of the population has a secondary education, and nearly 46% received higher education.

In general the people in Kyiv are hospitable and will be eager to help you. However, if you don't have a knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian you may find service in restaurants and shops difficult, although this will change with time as more people begin to study English.

Kiev has a humid continental climate like the rest of Eastern Europe. Despite being at the same latitude as Prague and Paris, Kiev has much colder winters due to the heavy influence from Siberia. Temperatures usually remain below or around freezing all day and during the night they get below -5°C (23°F). The mercury can occasionally dip to -15°C (5°F) when strong cold waves hit and, in rarer cases, below -20°C (-4°F). The record low is -33°C (-27°F). Keep in mind that it may feel much colder due to the high humidity (83% in January). Snow cover usually lasts from late November to late March but it can start and end earlier or later.

Spring and autumn are very brief and have large variations in temperatures. While the ground isn't usually covered with snow, snowfalls can occur in April and October and very rarely in May.

Summer is pleasantly warm with the average high being 25°C (77°F) and the average low at 16°C (61°F). Heat waves can push temperatures above 30°C (86°F) occasionally and the record high is 39.5°C (103°F). This also the rainiest part of the year.

As of 2018, the most affordable tickets (2-way from €50) are usually to the other cities of Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Turkey. As of July 2018, nonstop services to North America are operated by Ukrainian International Airlines to New York City-JFK and Toronto-Pearson.

Boryspil Airport has 3 terminals in operation: B, D, and F. Most international flights arrive in the terminals D or F, whereas terminal B is used for domestic flights. Terminal B is much older than F and dates back to Soviet times, but in fact they differ in small details only. Both terminal B and F are very cramped and inconvenient, while terminal D is newer and larger. Immigration control in Terminal D is generally pretty efficient, with specific lines for EU and Ukrainian passports. This is not the case in Terminal F, however.

Changing money at terminal D
As of 2018 March, Terminal D has good rates for currency exchange (only about 1-2% less than downtown at the best airport rate), however when you exit arrivals at terminal D, the exchange offices you see there all have the same bad rates, if you walk all the way to the left there is another office that offers out 7% better rates than the offices you will see at first.

Several option to get to the city center are:

By train:

In December 2018 the railbus connection [65] between Borispol airport and Kiev central station was officially opened. The journey takes 35 min, the trains (Polish-built PESA 90-seaters) run roughly 1-2 times per hour, the ticket costs 80 UAH, which makes railbus the cheapest option to get to the city.

By bus:

A bus, known as the Sky Bus or 322, operates 24-hour service between each terminal of the airport and the southern side of the Central Railway station (100 ₴ = €3.15, 60 minutes), with a stop at the Kharkivska Metro Station on the Green Line (60 ₴ = €1.90, 30 minutes) from where you may switch to the Metro and get straight to the city center for 8 ₴ (€0.25) (e.g. to Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Lva Tolstoho stations) to omit the traffic jams in the city center. If you alight at the last stop, to get to the metro (Vokzalna station) from the bus stop, enter the railway terminal, follow the bridge over the railway, leave the building, and turn left. There is no sign at the metro entrance, just a small text near the door including word "metro". The bus driver will only accept hryvnias (Ukrainian currency). You simply take your place on the bus and before departure, the bus driver walks around and sells tickets. Actually Google Maps provides some coverage and estimates for the public transportation in Kyiv, you may specify the time of departure as well. Then you may decide what will be the best fit for you, either bus+metro or taxi. The total time from the KBP to the city center by public transportation may be approximately 1 h 10 minutes. While getting back to the airport from the city, if you are catching the bus on the stop near Kharkivska Metro Station (15 - 20 minutes to Airport), some man may approach you and suggest a ride in the car for the same price as the bus (50 ₴ = €1.58). Such "taxi driver" gets 4 passengers into the car. No problem with such way of transportation as well. Please note that there is no currency exchange outlet in the departure area, so consider getting rid of all of your hryvnias prior to arriving at the airport - as it is very hard to exchange this currency outside of Ukraine.

By taxi:

The official airport taxi charges a fixed rate of 160 UAH for the first 10 kilometers and 11 UAH for each kilometer after. If you don't go downtown but overnight in Boryspil instead (4-6 km), it's still 160, however taxis outside are negotiable and take you to a hotel in Boryspil (not downtown) for 120-150 UAH or possibly less during daytime. You can also call a taxi if you have a phone.

There are several local taxi companies where all staff and drivers speak fluent English. taxi-borispol.com,LingoTaxi and Your Driver Company drivers typically meet you at the arrival hall with the name sign, though it's better if you book an airport transfer with these companies beforehand. The total time to get to the city center may be appr. 40 minutes but depends on traffic. Read more about getting around by taxi in Kyiv#By_taxi section.

The price to the city center is starting from 520 ₴ ($20). Many locals would get the taxi through the taxi apps. Uber has recently launched its service in Kyiv. There's no need to exchange money or buy a local sim-card right away since you may use the wi-fi in the arrivals of the airport. On the other hand, the official taxi service at the exit of KBP airport would typically charge around 580 ₴ ($23) to get to the city center. Unofficial cabs may demand even higher prices, so always arrange the price before you enter their cab and feel free to bargain. Do NOT go with anyone who approaches you offering a taxi while you are inside the airport building; these are many unlicensed touts, and you'll end up paying more or will be asked to repay him at the end of the trip, so be careful!

Zhulyany Airport (IATA: IEV) [66] (аеропорт "Жуляни") is located 8km southwest of the city center. It is mostly served by budget airlines. Wizzair is the major airline operating to this airport.

A taxi to/from Zhulyany Airport costs 400-450 ₴ ($17) to the city center. Alternatively, regular bus service operates between the airport and the city center (costs less than 5 ₴ ($0.2) - August 2015): exit the airport and walk about 100 meters straight forward. On the bus stop, wait for the bus 368 or 805 and exit at Vokzalna station (the stop is about 200m far from there).

There are two terminals - they are around 1km away of each other. They're connected by trolleybus no. 22 that takes you further to downtown. From old terminal (domestic) you can also walk (c. 500m) to Volynsky trian station and take regional train (elektrychka) to main railway station. Check Google Maps for the schedules.

Kyiv's central railway station Kyiv Passazhyrskyi (Київ-Пасажирський) is close to the city centre. Metro station Vokzalna (метро "Вокзальна") on the M1 line connects to the railway terminal. The terminal building straddles numerous railway tracks, and effectively comprises two separate buildings adjoined by a bridge. The building on the northern side (next to the metro station) is the main station. The building on the southern side is, respectively, the south station with its own ticket office and hotel. Public transport stops on both sides of the railway. Buses and trolleybuses to the city centre depart from the main building, buses to the Boryspil and Zhulyany airports operate from the southern station. Finally, suburban trains may also depart from a small station Pivnichna (Пiвнiчна) located under the square adjoining the main station. This station is separated from the other two buildings and has its own entrance equipped with turnstiles.

To travel from/to Kyiv by train, be sure to buy tickets in advance. All train tickets - inscribed, while boarding the train need to show your ID. The national train company is state-owned Ukrainian Railways "Укрзалізниця/Ukrzaliznytsya". The tickets can be booked online. For more details see Ukraine page

Traveling by train is popular among locals, so it's better to buy tickets in advance, especially in Summer and during holidays.

Direct day and night trains are available from all major cities and towns in Ukraine. There are five daily departures from Dnipropetrovsk (5½-9h) and up to ten from Lviv (9h) with an express Intercity train departing 4 times a day and taking just 5-5½ hours. No more trains to the areas controlled by the Russian troops and their proxies such as Donetsk or Crimea, including Sevastopol. Prices for domestic train ranges between UAH90-120 for seats and from UAH250 for second class sleeper. To Kharkiv 2nd class seat by intercity 4½ h, UAH256 (2013).

There are good international connections with central Europe and Russia. Departures from Przemyśl (two Intercity+ express trains daily, 7-9h), Belgrade (36h), Budapest (24h), Bratislava (29h), Chisinau (15h), Minsk (12h), Prague (35h), Sofia (37h) via Bucharest (26h), Vienna (24h) and Warsaw (16h) are nightly. From Moscow there are a multitude of trains with the fastest one being Metropolitan Express taking just 8½ hours. Saint Petersburg is also well served with an overnight train taking 23 hours. Berlin (22h) have nightly connections during summer while departures from Vienna (34h) are nightly Mon-Thu. There is also a connection from Venice (45h) via Ljubljana (41h) once a week, departing Thursdays.

More exotic cities with infrequent departures include Astana (73h, Thu), Baku (64h, Wed) and Murmansk (61h, seasonal). And if you are looking for a real journey, hop on train 133E linking Kyiv with Vladivostok. It's one of the longest journeys possible by train, taking eight nights!

The main route into Ukraine from the West is via Poland - the only 24-hour customs post is in Lvivska Oblast (Region) at a place called Krakovets. The nearest significant town on the Polish side is Przemyśl, and it's straightforward to find by following route #4 (which passes through Przemyśl). When you arrive at the border, the road is fairly narrow (no motorway/autobahn), and there is always a queue of trucks and vans parked to the right of the road. Don't park behind the goods vehicles, slip up the side of them and then feed into the customs area when the guy flags you forward (for courteous Europeans, you're not jumping the queue as commercial traffic goes through a different process). If you're in an EU-registered car then find the EU-passports section. Then, proceed to Ukrainian passport control and then Ukrainian customs and you're through. It used to be a nightmare, with apocryphal tales of 5-6+ hours at the border, but the Ukrainians have made great advances in efficiency with a 1-2 hour border crossing now possible.

Once through, just follow the main road towards Lviv (Львів) on the E40 - this is the route right across Ukraine to Kyiv (and thence the East). Stick to this - the main towns on the way are Lviv, Rivne (Рівне), Zhytomyr (Житомир). Care is required as the road still remains in a miserable condition, even though it is the main East/West highway and the main road route from and to the EU.

From Kyiv, there are regular bus routes to Poland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Spain, Bulgaria, Moldova, France and many other European countries, but with varying regularity.

Kyiv can seem quite interesting to the western tourist, as most signposts are in Cyrillic script. It is still largely a city where very few people know English, and the likelihood of encountering an English speaker is low - but not impossible. For the non-Russian or Ukrainian speaker, it's quite possible to get around easily, and it is a very interesting city to explore. It never hurts to speak English. Often, a shop assistant will ask customers who can speak English to act as translators.

It is advisable, however, to pick up a pocket Ukrainian phrasebook, and learn the Cyrillic alphabet, which can be fun and is easy to learn. Spend some time practising key words and phrases (e.g. 'hello', 'thank-you' and 'bill please'). Even what you regard as a feeble attempt at Ukrainian will amuse most people to the point where they become comfortable engaging in pantomime or trying out the little bit of English they know.

It is impolite to chat loudly (e.g., in the Metro), point or wave one's hands. You should also avoid whistling inside or being under-dressed, although in summer very short mini-skirts are widespread. All of these actions will regularly attract the wrong type of attention, including outright hostility.

Google Maps provides pretty good coverage and estimates for the public transportation in Kyiv. Maps.Me (AndroidIOS) app may be also beneficial with its offline support. If you are rather a more old-fashioned traveler, then pick up a "Kyiv Tour Guide" map book (Geosvit books - around USD3-4), which is available at a number of kiosks or at the central post office. Basic tourist maps are available at the baggage carousel at Boryspil Airport. If you are spending much time in Kyiv, get the matching Ukrainian version of your map, many locals have as much trouble with the version that is transliterated to Latin characters as you will have with Cyrillic. They need the version in Cyrillic. When asking for directions or setting out in a taxi, it helps to locate the place you want on the English map and then point out the same spot on the Ukrainian version.

If you need more detailed tourist info visit Tourist Info Centre on Khreshchatyk 19 (in same building with metro Khreshchatyk). There you can pick up all kinds of city maps and brochures, get a free guide, join free walking tours, use Wi-Fi and get an answer for any question. Open daily 10:00-19:00. Staff speak English, Russian, French, German, Spanish and other languages.

There is a public transport "WayFinder" service that works in many cities in Ukraine, as well as Kyiv.

There are two types of city-run buses available – bus (автобус) and trolleybus (тролейбус) – as well as slow and moribund trams. These can be hailed from assigned stops, which are marked by an inconspicuous sign on a telegraph pole. The buses are often very crowded during peak hours, but the norm is to push your way in. Once on board, you need to get a ticket and validate it by punching a hole with one of the small punchers that are attached to the posts inside the bus. If you can't get near the hole puncher, ask someone to validate your ticket for you. Tickets cost UAH 8 and are normally available from a special lady on board (oddly enough, she first sells you as many tickets as you want, then asks you to validate one). Tickets can be also purchased from drivers or in kiosks throughout the city.

You can also travel, although with less comfort, on route taxis or mini-vans called "Marshrutky" (Маршрутки/shuttles). These are privately run vehicles that travel assigned routes, which are listed on the front of the bus. You can hail a Marshrutka at the assigned bus stops. When you board, you pay the driver directly or, if you're not near the driver, pass the money to the nearest passenger who will pass it to the driver. Your change will be returned in reverse order, but it is unwise to pass big bills. When you are reaching your destination, simply yell out to the driver to stop "Na a-sta-nov-ke" (some 100m in advance to the bus stop you need). If you overshoot you get a nice walk and a driver gets a little extra stress a day. The fare ranges from UAH 7 to UAH 8, and is usually stated on the front and sidewalk-side of the vehicle, so you will know how much you pay in advance. It is good to have some change, so you can pay exact amount.

Marshrutka (shuttle) routes can be hard to figure out, but they have a list of stops on the window and a Metro logo for the metro stops. The best way to figure out where these go is to ask some of the locals. City maps usually picture all public transport, both normal buses/trolleybuses/trams and Marshrutky. The one downside to using Marshutkas is that they tend to be a little overpacked (understatement) and very hot or cold, depending on season.

The most popular taxi apps in Kyiv are Uklon, Uber, Hopin, CabLook Taxi and others. It's the easiest, safest and the most popular way of getting a taxi in Kyiv. These are gradually replacing requesting a taxi by phone call which was mainstream in 2000s.

It is also perfectly acceptable for any car to stop and pick you up. Although even locals would rarely go with annoying men suggesting a ride near the airports, train and bus stations, malls in order not to be ripped off. An unmarked vehicle is a 'gypsy' cab. To hail a ride, simply stand with your arm out. When a car pulls over, negotiate a fare. As a rule of thumb, rides within the downtown should not cost more than 50-60 ₴ ($2-3) and moving across the city might be anywhere from 70-100 ₴ ($3-4) (also depends on car model, time of day, weather and traffic conditions, whether both of you need to get to the same part of the city, etc.). Therefore, you should choose a proper street side, and your gender and group size usually matter for the price. Generally, girls would find informal taxis easier and cheaper than men. It is safe enough compared to many cities, but in the middle of the night you may be taking a risk.

Official company taxis can be hailed, or booked over the phone. There is usually someone who speaks English working for the company. Simply ask 'pa angliski pazhalusta' (or "English please"). The operator will give you a quote, which will save you from the sometimes intimidating process of negotiating on the street.

Taxi fares do vary widely. On the same route, a local could pay UAH150 while a foreigner may be quoted UAH600 with the driver being prepared to settle for UAH300. Don't hesitate to bargain!

Some taxi drivers (especially those waiting outside hotels) are professional and experienced conmen. If you try to bargain, they will propose to put the meter on. However, their meter will be a rigged app on their mobile phone charging you double the price of a taxi with a fixed meter. Either bargain or have a fixed meter.

The Metro (Ukrainian: Метро) is one of the pleasures of Kyiv. It is a clean, fast subway system, and it is easy to navigate once you realize that all three metro lines (red, blue and green) go through the city centre. In total there are 52 stations, with ambitious plans for extension.

The Kyiv metro system is not complex. There are only three lines and station signs and metro maps are in Cyrillic and English. A ticket (in actual fact a blue token as of July 2017) costs 8UAH - this gets you one journey, including interchanges. You can also buy a Metro swipe card to top up or a monthly season ticket. The Metro runs from 06:00 to 23:59, The metro is home to the deepest station in Europe, the Arsenalna Metro station. Some stations have outstanding Soviet architecture.

When you enter the Metro, you must purchase an entrance token from the cash desk, Kasa (Ukrainian: каса) or from a special ticket machine. One token is valid for one trip, no matter how far you go. A token is UAH8 and one needs to slip the token into the turnstile to enter. Starting from the August 1st, 2018 only green tokens are valid, previously available blue ones need to be changed at the several metro stations with a surcharge. A note of caution: make sure you walk through the correct side of the turnstile, or you will be hit with a metal gate that will slam shut. If you have a MasterCard PayPass card, you may use it directly to get into metro for the same price, but only on the yellow turnstile. You can also obtain an unlimited monthly ticket with a magnetic tape, which is available for sale for UAH610 (plus the UAH15 deposit for the card) during the first week of the calendar month or the third week for half the price (but not strictly so).

After 2012 European football championship in Ukraine, the Kyiv metro has undergone a major improvement with respect to the navigation. Most maps and signposts are translated into English. Additionally, every stations has got its unique three-digit number, with the first digit showing the number of line (M1 for red, M2 for blue, and M3 for green). Once on board, every station is announced by loud speakers and TV screens (most of the trains, not all). These screens show a lot of weird ads between the stations, but flag an impending station before arrival. Upon departure, they then show the next station.

Metro station escalator

Metro stations where you can interchange have two different names - one for each line. If you are changing lines, the other station can be reached by an overpass in the centre or near one of the ends of the platform.

Trains run every 30 to 150 seconds during business hours, every 5 minutes after 20:00, and every 10–15 minutes after 22:30. Last trains depart from the terminal stations around midnight, so your last chance to catch a train in the city centre is between 12.15AM and 12.25AM (check the timetable of late departures, which is signposted on each station). Trains are often very crowded. Be prepared to push, as this may be the only way you get on the train during peak hours.

It's interesting to note that the Kyiv metro has some of the deepest stations in the world. The Arsenalna station (Ukrainian: Арсенальна) station is one of the deepest metro stations in the world, at 107 meters deep, and the Universytet station (Ukrainian: Університет) has one of the longest escalators (87 meters long). Many stations have two long and intimidating escalators in a row. You can imagine how much time it takes to enter and exit a station, as climbing the escalator is no use. So catching the train for one, even 2 stations is somehow comparable with walking on the surface.

A note about "Dnipro" (Ukrainian: Днiпро) station: this is a very interesting station as the train goes out of the hill and continues onto a bridge. The stop is just on the edge of the river high above with some grand statues and a beautiful view. However this station is not much use unless you want to go fishing (as the locals seem to be doing when you consider the huge fishing equipment market close by). The station looks close to the cave monasteries on the map, but actually the complex cannot be reached from this station at all.

Dnipro metro station in Kyiv

If you enable "Cell Info Display" on your GSM phone, it will show you the name of the station (in transliterated Latin characters (for UMC and Kyivstar subscribers) just like your map) when you are underground in the vicinity of a station. Your mobile/cell/handy should work on most of the network, including between stations.

Spend some time looking at the stations. The red line features impressive architecture, similar to that seen in the Moscow and Saint Petersburg metro systems. Elaborate mosaics in the Zoloti Vorota station depict rulers and other historical characters of the medieval Kyivan Rus.

A scenic way to get from the upper city down to Podil (or, naturally, the other way around) is to catch the ancient funicular from Mykhaylivs’ka Ploscha to Poshtova Ploscha in Podil. You can enjoy views of the Dnieper and left bank on the way down. The cost is 3.00 UAH, and the Funicular runs from 06:00 to 23:00 during summer and 07:00 to 22:00 during winter. As with the Metro, you buy a token and insert it into the entrance barrier.

The stop for the boats navigating on Dripro river is located at Poshtova Ploshcha. In the summer it's possible to travel by boat to Mezhyhirya residence or Kaniv town through the Dripro river. Also there are short city tours.

Women are supposed to cover their heads and put on skirts before entering the caves or churches. However, this is not always enforced for tourists. You may be invited to take the church's shawls - one to cover your head and a second to wrap your legs like a skirt. Or you may buy nice shawls at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

Chornobyl Museum, Khoryv Lane, 1 (Metro “Kontraktova Ploshcha”), ☎0038 (044) 417-54-22, [1]. Mon-Fri 10-18; Sat 10-17. A fascinating and moving museum. Heavy on symbols of the disaster's consequences but very light on the plant's background or anything technical. No signage in English, but very good English audio guides are available for a fee and are highly recommended.edit

Khreshchatyk (Хрещатик) Street - The main drag of the city centre. It is closed to traffic on some weekends and full of entertainers and people wandering around. A big happy crowd and very conducive to peoplewatching. Metro: Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Khreshchatyk.

'Mother' Motherland statue in Kyiv stands in the centre of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery--Печерськалавра), (Metro station Arsenal'na is a couple blocks away from the main entrance. You can take a trolley from the subway station - 2 stops - or have a pleasant 15 minute walk.). One of the oldest and most important monasteries in Ukraine and in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Only the most important monasteries were designated as Lavras; there were only four, of which this Cave Monastery is the oldest. It was founded in 1077 by St Antoniy. The caves were dug out by priests who lived there as hermits. Nowadays, the caves are venerated by the faithful and tourists who visit the mummified monks, and pilgrims are still allowed access to the underground church there. There are two parts to the modern complex: the upper lavra, owned by the state and consisting of a number of museums (entry fee, most of them work until 18h); and the lower lavra, owned by the Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriach) and consisting of the caves (you'll need 1 UAH to buy a candle to enter). Entry is 40UAH. Do not miss the display of micro-miniatures in the upper lavra (40UAH). It sounds lame, but it is fascinating. You can enter the caves in the lower part if you dress correctly (women MUST cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Expensive scarves are for sale there). Women can only just get away with pants in the winter. Start at the Lower Lavra, visiting the caves before the crowds descend for the day (open till 16h anyway). There are two cave complexes, each housing the mummified remains of monks, as well as religous icons and other relics. Both caves are accessed through churches, with the entrance to the shorter caves at the end of a boardwalk. While it is free to enter the caves, you must purchase a taper candle for 3UAH in order to light your way. The caves are not recommended for the claustrophobic or overly tall. Once you're in there, it's hard, even impossible to turn around and go back out - you have to keep going. Some parts of the tunnels are open only to pilgrims, not tourists; sometimes these are guarded by priests but sometimes anyone can walk through. Pay 40UAH extra to visit the newly refurbished bell tower for superb 360 degree views of Kyiv. On the walk back to the Metro, stop by the very distinctive Holodomor Memorial and underground exhibit in the park. An entrance fee of 15UAH gets you entry; there is an English lanuage video and some computerised exhibits in Englishedit

St. Sophia's

Open-Air Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life (Музейнародноїархітектуритапобуту - Muzey narodnoyi arkhitektury ta pobutu), Krasnoznamennaya street, 1, Pyrohiv (Bus #156 or #172 from Olimpiiska, Lybidska or Vystavkovy Tsentr Metro stations goes there for USD 0.30 (pay driver). About 30-40 minutes.), ☎+38(044) 526 57 65. daily. Covering 160 ha, the area shows how people used to live in different parts of Ukraine. Six restored rural Ukranian villages, with old huts, wooden mills and churches from all over Ukraine have been carefully restored and function as living museums. English-speaking (sort of) guides with expertise on the whole site are available and well worth-it. Ukrainians come on sunny days to relax in the grass. edit

St Sophia's Cathedral (СоборСвятоїСофії - Sobor Sviatoyi Sofiyi), (Metro: Zoloti Vorota). 09.00-16.00. The oldest remaining church in Kyiv. Parts date from the 11th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has world biggest emsemble of frescoes and mosaics dating from 11th century, including the Virgin Orans mosaic. The site stopped being an active church in 1934, and has since been operated as government owned museum. Several green-robed ladies maintain order and will shout at you if you look like you are planning to take a photo. The gatehouse and other restorations were completed in the 17th century. Outside the gates, there is a statue commemorating hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, who liberated Kyiv in the 17th century... then gave the city to the Russian Empire. UAH60 for admission to the complex and church (UAH 30 for children). Additional charges to climb the bell tower, visit the museum and have a guided tour. edit

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, (a short distance and easily visible from St. Sophia's cathedral). A working monastery that goes back to the 12th Century. Destroyed during the Soviet era, with many of its art works hastily removed, some of which were trasferred to the museums in Moscow and St Petersburg, some were moved to St Sophia Cathedral. Some mosaics housed in St Sophia subsequently fell into the hands of the Nazis but were returned... to Hermitage in St Petersburg. Rebuilt in 1997-98. Impressive gold domes best visited on a sunny day. Behind the complex is a pleasant park with views of the Dnieper and, to the left, the entrance to the funicular. There is now a memory wall along the perimeter showing the Ukrainians lost in the Donbass and similar conflicts since 2014 and currently (2018) numbers over 3000. A moving site.edit

Motherland Statue and War memorials - Kyiv was pretty much destroyed during the invasion in WWII. The memorial near the motherland statue is pretty gripping. Lots of examples of classic Soviet-era memorial statuary as well as some amazing exhibits of military hardware. The Museum to the Great Patriotic War (WWII) located in the base of the statue is a must-see for visitors interested in the impact the German invasion had on the Soviet Union. Well worth the visit even if you don't speak or read any Russian or Ukrainian (several English language tours are provided daily). It's well curated and full of artifacts (including weapons, battle maps, hundreds of original photographs, and a moving installation at the end of the exhibit symbolizing the great losses suffered). There is also a small museum of the Afghan conflict nearby. Try to enter coming from the top part of the Pecherska Lavra. This way you get submerged with old soviet music and dark statues. There is also a large open air partly free exhibition of tanks and other military equipment (tanks, planes, rocket launchers etc. ) on the way to the museum. Metro: Arsenalna

Babyn Yar (Бабин Яр) - a ravine which was the site of massacres of Jews, Gypsies, and other civilians by the Nazis and their puppets during World War II. Approximately 60,000 civilians were executed at this site during the war (over 34,000 Jews in the first two days alone). Now a memorial to "Soviet citizens" murdered by the Germans, the park can be reached via the Dorohozhychi metro station. Note that the ravine is on the opposite side of the station as the big Soviet memorial statue. When walking out of the metro station, keep to the right in the park and follow the paths. This will bring you to the Jewish memorial with the ravine just behind it. Just outside the station, look for the Kyiv TV Tower (Телевізійна вежа - Televiziyna vezha) - the tallest lattice tower in the world. It is not accessible for tourists.

Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Майдан Незалежності) - Independence Square, located on Khreshchatyk Street. Maidan is known throughout the world as the place where supporters of Yushchenko and the Orange Revolution camped for weeks on end in October 2004. This is a central meeting place in Kyiv. Metro: Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Kreshchatyk.

Statue at top of Andrew's Descent

Andriyivsky Uzviz (Андріївський узвіз) or Andrew's Descent - At the top of this quaint, very rough cobblestone street is St Andrew's Church (closed for restoration in 2011). Sidewalks are gradually being added to the Descent but, meanwhile, take a good pair of shoes. Andrew's Descent winds down to Kontraktova Ploshcha in Podil. The street is lined with souvenir sellers, restaurants, galleries and museums. Touristy but retains charm.

One Street Museum (Музей однієї вулиці - Muzey odniyeyi vulytsi). (Andriyivsky uzviz (Андріївський узвіз), 2-B Kyiv.) The collection of the One Street Museum is dedicated to the history of the Andriyivskyi uzviz (Andrew's Descent) and its famous residents. Open daily from 12 noon to 6PM (closed Mondays) Web-site of the One Street Museum [68]

Museum of the toilet's history (Музей історії туалету) (Rybalska str. 22, Kiev 01011, Ukraine). The main theme of the exposition is toilet, but in the widest sense of the term: the toilet as a distinctive place, as a dressing room, and as clothes. Museum's permanent collection contains over 300 exhibits, arranged sequentially in seven sections of Primitive society, Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, XVII-XX century, Modernity and Art WC. The museum presents the largest collection of souvenir toilets in the world, listed to Guinness Book of Records. A movie theater shows videos in alternating languages about toilets.</see>

Mariyinsky Palace (МаріїнськийПалац). . Mariinsky park is one of the most popular walking destinations among Kyivans. This very picturesque place is about 140 years old. Park is located on the hilly bank of the Dnieper River and received its name from the nearby Mariyinsky Palace which was built in Baroque style at the end of eighteenth century by the order of the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. The project of the Palace was designed by the famous architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also developed Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. Mariyinsky Palace adjoins the neo-classical building of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament), and currently functions as an official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine. By 2015 the Palace should be renovated, and then it will be open to the public. Also, at the Mariinsky park you can visit Lovers' bridge[2], hire the rollers, velomobiles, bicycles and segways, as well as enjoy panoramic views of the Dnieper River, Kyiv`s hills and the Left Bank area (do not forget your camera).edit

State Aviation Museum - located inside the old Zhulyany Airport [69] with many impressive Soviet civil and military aircraft on display, including an An-2, Tu-104, Il-62, Il-76, an Il-86 and is constantly improving. The museum is opposite to the airport terminal, which is an industrial zone. To get there, you can either take Trolleybus #9 from the main train station - Kyiv Passazhyrskyi (South exit)/Vokzalna metro stop or #22 from Shuliavska (Шулявська) metro station, both until Sevastopolska Square. From there, take the minibus 220 that will take you straight to the museum (last stop). Walking in the surrounding area after dark is not advisable as the area is poorly lit and stray dogs are present. Admission: 15 UAH.

German Military graveyard- located on the road to Odessa, about 20 km away from Kyiv, next to the Kyiv cemetery. About 10000 German soldiers are buried here, after the battles around Kyiv in 1941 and 1944.

Golden Gate of Lyov - * Zoloti Vorota (Золоті ворота). Metro: Zoloti Vorota. This is a 1982 reconstruction of the Golden Gate of Kyiv, described by Mussorgski in "Pictures of an Exhibition". It is quite a nice spot to visit and learn about the town walls. Some nice buildings are also there and you can inspect the Porsche Cayennes, Lexuses, Audis, BMWs and Mercedes of Ukraine's nouveau riche who are very much into conspicuous consumption.

FC Dynamo Kyiv (Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex), Velyka Vasylkivska St, 55, Kyiv, Ukraine, 02000, [3]. Kyiv's local football club is worth checking out if you're into sport. The stadium is centrally located and can be reached by foot or by taking the Metro. Although the UPL (Ukranian Premier League) has had some financial issues since 2014, the level of play is still well regarded and entertaining with Dynamo Kyiv being one of the most storied and successful clubs in the country. Tickets can be purchased from an office in front of the stadium and can be done without speaking Russian or Ukrainian as tickets are displayed on a screen you can point to. However, if you speak Russian/Ukrainian you can probably find less expensive tickets from scalpers outside the stadium or online. Ticket prices for UPL games typically range from 50 UAH to 400 UAH. The stadium seats 75,000 and attendance almost never fills up for most UPL games. For International league matches(e.g. Champions League) against European opponents tickets will obviously be in more demand. There is a selection of regular stadium food such as hot dogs, chips, soda and beer available in the arena. There are some souvenir shops and vendors around the stadium and a large official Adidas souvenir shop as well. The UPL season begins in late July/August and runs through December before shutting down for the winter. The season resumes in March and finishes in April/May. edit

Catch the metro to Hidropark island in the Dnipro river. Kyiv is endowed with natural city beaches that line the Dnipro. Many a summer day can be spent in the parks and on the beaches of the islands, where you can buy shashlyk from stalls, play beach volleyball, swim in the river or in the pools on the island, or just soak up the sun.

Stroll around Podil. Start at St Michael's Cathedral in the Upper Town. Catch the funicular behind it down to Poshtova Ploscha, and wander around the grid-like streets of Podil. The area was the merchant's quarter, and was completely rebuilt in the 19th century after fires destroyed the area. It was mainly untouched during WWII and is emerging as a hip restaurant district and is rapidly being gentrified. Finish your stroll by walking up Andriyivsky Uzviz, which will get you back to St Michael's Cathedral.

If you're in Kyiv on the weekend, go and people watch on Kreshchatyk. Start at Lva Tolstoho Square and head underground. Walk through the Metrograd shopping center, always sticking to your left. Head above-ground at Taras Shevchenko Boulevard (бульвар Тараса Шевченка), from where the council shuts down Kreshchatyk on the weekends. Walking up the street to Maidan, you will be treated to the sight of numerous street performers and animal handlers, or you can simply enjoy seeing families out and about for a weekend stroll.

Go to a service at an Orthodox Church. The best one to visit is St Volodomyr's on Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. Services are long and there are no seats in Orthodox churches, however it's perfectly acceptable to come and go as you please. Women must cover their heads before entering the church. Metro: Universytet

Visit different eco-cultural, ecological, ethinic, rock and other festivals both inside the city and near its suburbs.

For those you wish to discover more about Ukrainian culture, history and see the best attractions in Kyiv, you should take a cultural, walking or a private tour. You can choose between Kyiv sightseeing, underground or metro tours, or you can book a tour to Chernobyl and explore the nuclear exclusion zone. The prices start from 890 UAH.

Also there is a number of free of charge speaking clubs in a few languages which usually meet in eating houses or caffees and where you can socialize with locals and other travelers, so feel free to drop in at one of the meetings. The meetings are organized under the aegis of Language Exchange Club Kyiv

'Dream Town Aqua park- It is located on the left bank of the city, in Dream Town shopping mall. It is considered the one of the biggest indoor water parks in Europe, with an area of 24 thousand square meters. It has 14 different level of extreme slides, 2 wave pools, 3 current rivers, lagoon akvabarom 55 seats, jacuzzi, swimming pool for water polo, children's area of approximately 3000 square meters, which shows the water and land rides for children, air hockey, table tennis. Waterpark can hold up to 3,500 visitors at the same time stay.

Aqua park Terminal- It has an area 20.5 thousand meters squared, has 11 different water slides, depending on what you want, whether it is a fast ride, you want or a snake slide, or an extreme whirlpool. For kids there is a whole separate mini-park that has a water cannon, pool, warm sprays and slides. They also have ocean wave pool, with waves up to 1.5 m satisfy the requirements of any extremals. To get new energy, you can go to a nearby cafe; there is a great pizzeria, sushi bar and restaurant with real home cooking.

National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Національний університет «Києво-Могилянська академія» - Natsionalnyi universytet "Kyevo-Mohylianska akademiya") Is the leading university in the Ukraine with regards to political fields. The university's professors offered support to politicians and various international media outlets during the Orange Revolution in late 2004 that resulted in the election of Viktor Yushchenko. [70] (English)

Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University (Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка - Kyivsky natsionalny universytet imeni Tarasa Shevchenka) The university is the largest and one of the more important universities. Its enrollment is over 30,000 [71] (English)

Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics (Київський національний торговельно-економічний університет - Kyivsky natsionalny torhovelno-ekonomichny universytet) One of the largest universities in Ukraine (more than 40,000 students). Founded in 1946. Leader of commercial, economic and tourism education. [72] (English)

There are a number of private schools where you can learn Ukrainian or Russian, either part-time or full time [73]. There are also experienced teachers in the city - check out resources such as Kyiv In Your Pocket, The Kyiv Post [74], and What's On Weekly for details of schools and teachers.

Foreigners can sometimes find work teaching their native language. Pay is usually decent enough to live on in Kyiv if you get enough pupils and live by local standards.

As is the nature in a global economy, professionals with skills in demand, e.g. accountants and IT professionals, can be employed with global firms in Kyiv, without knowledge of Russian or Ukrainian languages.

Getting a work permit (visa) is a necessity for foreigners if they are going to be employed by any legal entity (exceptions apply only for international institutions and representative offices of foreign companies). The work permit is more of a hiring permit. The potential employer has to apply with the labour administration for hiring an non-resident employee. With the application a complete cv, as well as documents showing an accredited education, have to be submitted.

Go to the market at Andrew's Descent (Andriyivskyi Uzviz) for a nice collection of traditional things, old communist goods (real goods as well as some that are fake and mass-produced), matrioshka dolls, etc. The best days are Saturdays and, especially, Sundays.

The unit of currency is the Hryvnia (UAH) (гривня) [pronounced: Hryvnia (in Ukrainian), Grivna (in Russian)], which equals about 32 UAH to the Euro and 27 UAH to the US Dollar (November 2017). There are many exchanges booths that will convert Euro, USD or Russian rubles to UAH, just look for signs with exchange rates posted on about every block in the downtown area or any bank outside downtown. Exchange rates vary a lot and deteriorate fast when you get into less competitive places or outside of standard business hours. You should also make sure to get a receipt when buying UAH, as converting UAH to foreign currency is impossible without it when you leave the country. Rates at the airport are not as good as in the city center. However, beware that not all hotels will change money and if you arrive in the evening or Sunday you could find yourself with no money for dinner if you don't change at least some at the airport. Most banks operate on Saturdays as well as Mondays to Fridays.

ATMs are known as 'bankomat' (банкомат), and can be found everywhere. All major credit cards and debit cards can be used at some ATMs throughout Ukraine, but do not work in many. You can withdraw UAH but in some cases also US dollars. Be sure to contact your credit card company prior to your visit or they may freeze your card! As a backup, it is possible to get dollars from most banks using a cash advance from a Visa or Mastercard. There is a small service charge (3%) to do this in addition to whatever your bank charges. Debit cards such as maestro do work in ATMs. Cirrus/Maestro/Plus bank cards could be most effective way to get cash in Ukraine. Many ATMs, such as Aval Bank and Express Bank ATMs do not charge any transaction cost to cash withdrawal transactions from foreign cards (unless you are withdrawing dollars). Not all ATMs indicate that they support the Plus system, but in most cases they do support it if they support Visa. PrivatBank ATMs work with North American cards, and are usually capable of dispensing 8000 UAH at a time.

It is often expected that one carries small change in Kyiv. Most retail establishments will scowl at you if you try to pay for a UAH4 purchase with a UAH20 note. They generally keep very little change on hand and will always ask if you have the right amount. Keep small change to use the toilets.

Ocean Plaza- Located in the center of Kyiv, on metro Lybidska. It's area is 70,000 m ², with over 400 stores, 40 restaurants and cafes, a large supermarket "Aushan", as well as 8 halls of Cinema City movie theater. It's main attraction is an aquarium, with the volume of 350 thousand liters, which is home to 1,000 residents of the ocean. It is considered the best place in the capital for both shopping and fun.

Gulliver- It is a shopping mall that is located in the downtown on a skyscraper. It is an eight floor mall where you can find almost anything. In the entertainment area you can find a cinema, bowling club, fitness centre and there is also a supermarket called "Coctail Conoisseur Supermarket". There are also travel agencies, banks, a beauty salon and dry-cleaning. There is a parking that fits 450 cars.

Mandarin Plaza- A seven floor luxury complex located close to the city centre. It has numerous stores, offering goods of every kinds. Boutiques- those sanctuaries of high fashion. The main feature that they have is the latest creations by the world best known designers. There is also a place where kids can play, which makes the parents life easier.

Manufactura Outlet Village- It was opened in 2013, but this mall is very unique compared to others because its like you opened a door to some small and cozy european town with brand stores instead of residential buildings. Manufactura contains 100 shops. The designers that are represented there are La Coste, Lagerfeld, Chantal, Guess, Coccinele and many others. There are also a couple of restaurants. The outlet is located 15 km from the center to the south of Kyiv, in the Hodosiivska village.

In general, it is very cheap to dine in Kyiv by European or US standards. So long as you stay away from the places that totally pander to tourists or to the Porsche Cayenne-driving "elite", the food is great and cheap. Try the Borscht, chebureki (чебуреки), chicken Kyiv (Котлета по-київськи) and the Mlyntzi and then try absolutely everything else. Baked goods are cheap and great too. Even the ice-cream on the street is great. Try, for example, the one to the right from Khreshchatyk metro exit - blue kiosk with varying length of queues.

When you see vendors selling some liquid from big yellow/blue tanks on the street, you can be sure that it is "Kvas/Квас," which is a brewed bread drink. Some people like it and others hate it. It tastes a bit like malt, and the alcohol content is so low (0.05-1.44%) that it is considered acceptable for consumption by children. Try "Odyn Malenkyi" (one small) drink.

You should not drink the tap water (for reasons both chemical and microbial). It is advisable to buy bottles in the supermarkets; they usually have English section on the label for "ingredients". You can always order "Bonaqua" (sparkling mineral water), but beer is just about as cheap.

Puzata Khata[75] -- "Puzo" is Ukrainian for "belly," and a khata is a traditional Ukrainian hut or shack. If you're from the States this place is like Picadilli, or any other pay-per-plate cafeteria. Popular with locals. Food is good, but almost entirely traditional Ukrainian. They also offer kvas and good Ukranian beer. Two people can eat like absolute pigs here for less than $US12. You'll be full for the rest of the day, guaranteed. On a more practical side, soups cost below 10 UAH, mains are 15–30 UAH, and beer is only 10UAH for half a liter. Three locations are across from Bessarabski Market; through the second arch to the right of the Khreshatik Metro station [past McDonald's, turn right through the big decorative arch]; and another on the corner of Sahaidachnoho Street, opposite Bohorodytsi Pyrohoschi (a square with a church on it). There is another one at Kontraktova Square, close to Kontraktova metro station, at the end of a downhill walk from the Andrivskyj Uzviz.

Two Geese ("Два гуся") serves decent cafeteria-style meals. Look for the signs with two geese on yellow background. Sometimes there's a vintage car painted with their logo out front. Fast, decent, easy, all you have to do is point. No language skills needed.

Olivie (Олів'є) a cafeteria-style per plate psuedo-national bistro chain founded in 2012, more upscale competitor of Puzata Khata and about 5 UAH more per item, overhead menu images are stock images of raw ingredients which are hard to relate to the cooked dishes being sold [76]

Kureni, 4, Parkova Alley - wonderful national restaurant with very tasty dishes. Dinner for five persons, including different appetizers, soups, main dishes and gorilka is around €135. It is situated on the bank of the Dnepr river and in summer it is very nice to get dinner in the garden, while in winter inside the main building you can enjoy view through large windows and fire from the fire-place. All major credit-cards are accepted.

Lola Pizza, on Lva Tolstoho (Льва Толстого). The cost of a large pizza is about 100 UAH, and it's a very generous size. You can eat in the cafe area or take-away.

Milk Bar, restaurant that caters to locals and westerners alike. Most of the staff speak passable English and English language menus are available. While the main courses and salads are all excellent the highlight of Milk Bar is the desserts. A dessert case greets you at the entrance and you are not getting the full Milk Bar experience if you don't at least take one with you on the way out. Prices for a full meal run about 250 UAH ($11-12 US in Spring 2015) Also has an eclectic selection of mixed drinks. Opens at 9am with a good breakfast menu. Can get crowded in the evening and you may have to wait at the bar to get a table. Located at 16 Shota Rustaveli St which is easily accessible from the Palats Sportu Metro Station. Exit the station and walk the short block up the hill towards Kreshchatyk. Turn left onto Shota Rustaveli and you will see a white 1st floor building on the right adorned by a string of hanging incandescent light bulbs.

Oliva, Druzhby Narodiv Blvd 25a (Бульвар Дружбы Народов 25а), Kominternu St 5 - Good Italian restaurant with delicious food, and good prices (average price for one person is about 100-200 UAH). And you can have English breakfast there from early morning till 11am.

O’Panas, Shevchenko Park, 10 Tereshchenkivska, 235-2132. Open daily from 10PM till 1PM Traditional wooden restaurant, popular to tourists. Really good mlyntsi... try the mushroom ones. (avg.$US20/person). If you just want to try the mlyntsi, you can walk-up to a stand on the side of the restaurant and get them to go.

Tsimmus, 10/5 Sahaydachnoho for Ukrainian-Jewish food. [That's in the #10 building on the main street, but go around the corner to a side street where the street number would have been 5 had it not been attached to a building that already has an address] (about $US20/person)

Sushiya (Сушия), chain of waiter-ed Japanese Fusion, no English menu but lots of accurate pictures in the Cyrillic menu Menu

Vernissage, Andrew's Descent 30, ☎425 2403. One of a chain of four restaurants in Kyiv with the same name, this has a Bohemian feel to it that goes well with the "Montmartre" reputation of Andrew's Descent. Outdoor eating in summer but the small indoor restaurant is nicely decorated and the toilet tucked away in a difficult corner is not to be missed.UAH 150-250 but if you don't want a full meal the pancakes are great.. edit

It's also worth checking out pubs and restaurants that offer business lunches during weekday lunch. These are set menus that usually cost around 40 UAH, and include soup, salad, meat dish and a drink.

Da Vinci Fish Club, Volodyrmyrska Street (Володимирськa). Seafood-oriented restaurant with an Italian influence. Very delicious food - a place to see and be seen. Cost around $60 per person, drinks extra. Metro: Zoloti Vorota

Mimino, on Spaska (Спаська). Based on the Soviet film of the same name about a Georgian pilot. The waiters are attired in '60s influenced flight attendant uniforms. Reasonably nice Georgian food, the meat is of dubious quality . Good Georgian wine available also. Cost around $US40 per person, drinks extra. Metro: Kontraktova Ploscha.

Vietnamese: there are several restaurants, owned by a person from Vietnam (the cuisine is comprised of "hits", rather than complete luncheon sets; considered above-average within local Vietnamese community; extremely expensive)

Chinese: There is a good one near Metro Universitet. It's called "Jiu Long", which means "Nine Dragons" (there is a fast food store upfront, but if you go through the arch, you will see an entire Chinese-style building, that's where the real restaurant is; quality is good and prices are lower than some other similarly fancy restaurants). If you don't care about price, go to "Lun Van" near Metro Teatralna. Other above-average venues (but be warned, no one who's experienced anything like the real thing will find satisfactory Chinese food in Kyiv) are Mandarin on a floating entertainment complex near the river port in Podil, and Vostok which is across the road from Mandarin.

Japanese: There's one called Hanoi which serves Japanese and Vietnamese food. It is located near Metro Arsenalna. The quality is quite high, although the prices are too. Further, you will find various sushi-bar chains in Kyiv (namely Sushi-Ya, Murakami and Yakitoria)

Nobu, 12 Shota Rustaveli Street. Good Japanese restaurant, but don't be fooled by the name it's not owned by famous chef Nobu Matsuhisa.

King David Esplanadna 24 tel 044 235 7436 near the Central Synagogue, Glatt Kosher, many traditional Eastern European dishes. Many Vegetarian dishes. Open 10.00 to 23.00, closed Saturdays

Haiffa Kostiantynivska 57 Warning: Despite what some guide books (Bradt etc.) may say this restaurant no longer serves kosher food, it has been converted into a strip club, but the signs from the kosher restaurant have not been removed.

The leading supermarket chains are "MegaMarket" (МегаМаркет), "Furshet" (Фуршет), "Velyka kyshenya" (Велика кишеня), "Silpo" (Сільпо) which are conveniently located to the city centre. The closest MegaMarket to town is on 50 Gorkoho (Горького). This MegaMarket is big but can get busy. Foodstuffs are available on the ground level, and non-food available on the first level. You do not have to go through the cashier on each level (which means two long lineups on busy days) - fill your basket with food on the ground floor and use the 'secret' elevator near fish tanks to get to the upper floor where queues are shorter.

The closest Furshet to the city centre, and most central supermarket, is on the basement level of the Mandarin Plaza, which is at the back of Bessarbabsky Square. This supermarket stocks many imported goods, and also has five restaurants.

"Fora" (фора) is a popular chain of mini-marts that are widely distributed, particularly on the Left Bank side of the city. They are about the size of 7-11 and stock most staple items, including toiletries, bread, dairy, sweets, and of course alcohol. Plastic bags are available but are not free, and some stores do not take credit cards. Bag your own groceries. If you're paying in cash, make sure the cashier gives you correct change back as some are careless or dishonest.

Most bottled waters are sparkling. To purchase regular bottled water, ask for Water Without Gas (VoDA bez gaza). A 500ml bottled water cost UAH 3-UAH 6 in August 2009, occasionally they will inflate the price to UAH 10 if you look like a rich tourist.

Don't forget to buy a few big jugs of bottled water such as Staryi Myrhorod (Старий Миргород) or Truskavetska (Трускавецька). Kyivskij tort (київський торт) is another thing you should eat in Kyiv if you love cakes. Dark rye bread, Ryazhenka (Ряженка, ukrainian style yogurt), and Kvas (Квас, fermented drink made of bread) could be also be interesting things to taste.

Chocolates, cakes, lollies, crisps and biscuits/cookies are widely available at low cost and are very popular with Ukrainians - after years of being deprived western brands, snack foods are becoming big business.

There are several nice places in Kyiv to get a drink. From small cafés that are only frequented by locals (they look dirty at first sight) to expensive places. Locals often buy drinks (beer) at a stall in the street and drink it in a park, leaving their bottles for the homeless to collect and cash in. However, since 2011, drinking beer in the street is prohibited and whilst you will see locals drinking in the street, you will make yourself an easy target for the police to stop and try for a bribe if you do. Locals often buy some chips or other salted things to go with their drinks.

The prices are quite reasonable by European standards. You will easily find decent Ukranian beer for 20–30 UAH and get 5 cl of vodka or similar alcohol for about 20 UAH.

If you are not keen about alcohol, try one of the abundant coffee houses. No matter whether their names are well-known and international (Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Russian-based Coffee House and Shokoladnitsa) or weird and local (Coffee Land, Coffee Life, and other similar variations), they are always neat places with similar menu featuring all imaginable versions of coffee, a good choice of tea, fancy milk shakes and smoothies, and a selection of cakes. Their main advantage is free WiFi, while on the downside are the prices that are rather high on Kyiv standards. Coffee and piece of cake start from 20 UAH each.

When you urgently need a shot of espresso, you can also try coffee sold on the street. Basically, every second kiosk will offer some cava (Ukranian word for coffee), but its quality is at best iffy. A safe choice would be special cars equipped with coffee machines. These cars can be found in most public places and next to entrances to the metro stations. They offer decent take-away coffee for 8-10 UAH.

Bar Fidel, Hrushevskoho 4B. Well worth checking out. DJ plays late on a Friday night and there is some serious moshing and crowd surfing in what must be Kyiv's lowest bar / club. Great fun, open till 5am.

Blyndazh (Блиндаж, means "entrenchment") at the basement of 15 Mala Zhytomyrska (200 m. off Maidan sq.). Military-themed bar (recently changed its signboard to Blind Age with a cartoon mole with shades on it). Small, cheap and popular, mostly student types.

Orech (Walnut), vul Velyka Vasylkivska 126. Small, good selection of local beers, used to serve unlimited free walnuts if you drink beer. Recently the walnut servings have been limited unfortunately.

Trallebus is a decent pub on Proreznaya St. Their design may look strange until you take a ride on a Soviet-style trolley-bus and fully appreciate the charm of this transport. The pub offers some fancy Ukrainian beer and a selection of home-made vodka-based spirits as well as the full row of typical snacks (dried salted bread, salted fish, calamari, etc.).English language menu.

There are several Irish pubs, none authentic, but OK if you're in need of a Guinness and expat company. One is located near Golden Gate (Zoloti Vorota) on Volodomyrska (called, eponymously, The Golden Gate Pub). Another (and the first in Kyiv) is O'Briens on Mykailivska (one of the streets running west off Maidan sq., the one to the right, with a branch of OTP Bank on the corner). Both are expensive by Kyiv standards. A new one has opened in Podil, on the corner of Gostyny Dvor, near the Dutch embassy (can't miss it as it's close to the bottom of Andryevsky) called the Belfast Pub. Besides these centrally located pubs, others lie elsewhere in Kyiv, but do not cater to ex-pats and have reasonable prices. Keep your eyes open. Also try Dockers Pub.

There are two Belgian beer cafés. One is located across the road from the Golden Gate, close to the South Korean Delegation (Le Cosmopolite, Volodymyrska street). The other is close to the Olympic Stadium (Belle-Vue; ul. Saksahanskoho 7). Prices range between normal western prices (€1.3 for 0.5l of Stella Artois) and splurge western prices (€4.5 for 0.33l of Leffe Blond). Service is in perfect English usually and they do serve Belgian beer and expensive Belgian food.

Kyiv has a nice club scene. Ranging from very cheap to overly-expensive, you can find what you want.

Art Club 44[78], vul. Khreshchatyk 44/b. A club that plays live music every day. Hard to find if you have not been there. Go through the arch at Khreshchatyk 44/b, there's a small Ukrainian-themed restaurant on the right (quite good actually), you need an unmarked door on the left. Or simply ask just about anybody between 18 and 35, they will probably know. Cover 20 UAH on Fri-Sat.

D-Lux[79], upscale, where a lot of people go to look beautiful, popular on Fridays and Saturdays. Grand, stone steps lead up to the entrance. A well-reviewed restaurant is on the first level. A swanky bar, somewhat in the style of a small Buddha Bar, is on the second level. The disco is on the third and fourth levels, the main dance floor being on the former and extra bars and balconies look down from the latter. Be aware that D-Lux (and also Sky Bar) are frequented by ladies whose passions are up for sale.

Faberge also an upscale club, address Rybalska 22, similar to Chaikovsky Deluxe.

Forsage[80], one of the most known clubs has 3 floors with different music genres, is supposed to have strict face control but you can find some underage students inside, they only look at shoes and make sure its not sport shoes. Entrance on the weekend is 70 UAH for men and 50 UAH for women. This club is crowded almost every day of the week, even on weekdays.

Patipa is one of Kyiv's dinosaurs, but still one of the most trendy and best visited clubs in Kyiv. (As of March 27 2016, and the place seems to be closed, it's a Saturday night and nothing was happening there, the place was locked down)

Shooters[81], Moskovska 22, is currently one of the more traveler and expat friendly clubs (it belongs to a group of Scottish expats).

Sorry Babushka[82]. The interior space of the club is a three-level complex, where each floor has its own concept of music, design, light and sound.

Stolytsia is an upscale lively place located close to the Water Museum. Expensive and pretentious, but beware of the face control, e.g. no sport shoes allowed.

Xlib-club, Frunze 12. Brings what is called cutting-edge music to Kyiv. The club is neither expensive nor pretentious and exceedingly crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. Located in Podil - one of the romantic districts near the Dnieper river.

A few popular venues are located at the Mandarin Plaza shopping mall (Arena Entertainment complex), rumored to be owned by the Klitschko brothers. The clubs include Arena, Sky Bar, Barsky and Grotesque. They're right next to Bessarabsky market; most of the clubs are accessible from the court. The Sky bar has a nice view over the local area.

EsterHostel, Chervonoarmiis'ka St, 111/113 (Located near to the Palace of Ukraine), ☎+380 44 332 05 36 ([email protected]), [8]. checkin: 12:00; checkout: 11:30. Clean, comfortable and affordable hostel is located in the heart of Kyiv. It is a small hostel with the atmosphere that appeals to travellers from all walks of life.Dorm beds from €10.. (50.419630,30.521771)edit

Kyiv Central Station Hostel ("Kyiv), 25 Hoholivs'ka apt. 11, ☎+380 (93) 758-74-68 ([email protected]), [13]. [14], The first and most original backpackers place in Kyiv, big rooms, clean, a lot of information and just 15 minutes from the train station and 3 minutes from the best bar in town. Best sightseeing starting point. Linens, towels, map, Wi-Fi included in the best price in town. Cheap Chernobyl tours.From €5. edit

One Step Independence Square (Hostel Golden Gates or Salve Hostel), 18/1-g Prorizna str. Ap.35, 4th floor code #34, ☎+380 98 263 6507 ([email protected]). Located in the heart of the city close to Opera House and Khreshchatyk‎.edit

The Hub Hostel Kyiv, Tereschenkivska Street 5A, ☎+380 44 229 12 66, [19]. In a free standing building in the centre with a huge yard. Privates and 4-12 bed dorms, including female only dorms; free Wi-Fi, linen, tea and coffee. A 24-hour reception, free lockers. Big, soundproof social area with variety of board games, movies and books, well-equipped kitchen. Different activities every day of the week: movie nights, guided tours, pub crawling. Can accommodate groups and provide lodging for all sorts of events. From ~ €14. edit

Oselya Hotel, Kamenyariv str 11, ☎+38 (044) 258-82-81 ([email protected]), [24]. checkin: 14.00; checkout: 12.00. The Oselya Hotel offers a peaceful stay in a private calm and airy area of Kyiv, 7 km from the city center. This family-run hotel offers elegant rooms with free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a minibar, and a private bathroom with hydro massage shower. Black-out curtains are featured in each room. Guests can benefit from the convenient 24-hour reception Hotel Oselya provides. The hotel also offers a library, a tour desk, and a ticket service. A daily continental breakfast is served and includes local and international options. Guests can enjoy fruit grown in the hotel's garden. A free transfer by hotel car is available by request to Vasylkivska metro station.From $88/night. edit

Royal Hotel de Paris, Bolshaya Vasilkovskaya Str. 5, ☎+380 63 467 3929. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. from 650UAH. editHotel has interesting decor, but is in a great location. Rooms are comfy, internet is very good by hotel standards (and free!). Reception staff are able fluent in English.

Hotel Lybid', [35]. The Hotel Lybid' is a standard European hotel. It is a short subway or shuttle ride from the city center.$115. edit

President Hotel, Hospitalna Street 12, [36]. 4 star hotel with 325 rooms and 13 suites set out over 10 floors. Situated close to the city centre in a quiet, historical part of Kyiv. With your choice of either the fitness centre, leisure centre or health club.From $130. edit

Hotel Rus, Hospitalna Street 4, [37]. One of oldest hotels in the city. Rooms are OK, but worn; the service is good.From US$183. edit

The Opera Hotel, B. Khmelnystkoho Street, [43]. The Opera Hotel is (5*) and member of the leading hotels of the world. Opened in 2006 and owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's wealthiest billionaire.+500$ per night. edit

Pick-pocketing and scamming is common, particularly in crowded places, in tourist areas, in bars and nightclubs and on public transportation. There has been a slight increase in street crime in Central Kyiv, especially after nightfall. This includes muggings. Pick-pocketing on the Kyiv metro has also increased. Armed robbery can also occur, especially in the larger cities. Racially motivated violence and harassment can occur without corrective action by local authorities.Street crime

The usual "don't be stupid" advice suffices. Avoid drinking tap water; bottled water is cheap and available everywhere (Morshinska/Моршинська, Mirgorodska/Міргородська, Bonaqua are good). Kyiv is generally an open and friendly city and stays lively until at least 11 PM in most districts.

If you are female, and especially if you are traveling alone, try to take a taxi instead of public transit after 9 PM. These are prime drinking hours and the metro and "marshrutky" may be crowded with drunk men. This is particularly true on the weekends. Ask a local English-speaker to call the taxi for you and agree the amount of the fare in advance; drivers may greatly inflate the fare once hearing your accent.

Robberies and scams on tourists are fairly common in Kyiv. The best approach is to be vigilant and wary of anyone who approaches you. Avoid eye contact with suspicious looking people. If you do get caught up in a scam (such as the infamous wallet scam or the "Look, I've just found money" scam or even if you are stopped by someone claiming to be a policeman), simply ignore the person and walk away, indicate that you want to call your embassy or go to the next police station to get the problem sorted. That will usually shake the person off.

If you are leaving your baggage in the station, it is better to leave it with the guys in person rather than use a locker. Stories circulate of people 'assisting' with the locker, observing the code and then walking off with the bag afterwards.

On the metro, always keep your belongings securely zipped as close to your skin as possible. Pickpockets are highly organised and often in gangs that know what they are doing.

There are occasional (rare) reports of visitors being shaken down by corrupt officials, often customs officials. Naturally, the best protection is to make sure that you stay on the correct side of the law and, if there is any question, to keep your cool and not become argumentative. It seems that the cost of an error is surrendering the object in question and paying a "fine." The officials are skilled at ensuring that people who argue miss their flights. Making, or giving the impression of making, a cellphone call to your country's embassy has been known to clear up "problems" quicker than actually paying the "fine" --- or pretend to have a very late flight :-)

Some thieves like to abuse new tourists, for example, by playing plainclothes cop. They are rarely aggressive. They will go to you only if you're walking alone and look unfamiliar with the town. A bit of resisting usually shakes them off (but not too much since you never know).

There is still corruption in Ukraine; some services might openly ask you to bribe them to process your request, and denying it might make them refuse to help you.

The people are very tolerant and it is only reasonable to assume that they expect the same in return.

Muggings have increased in the downtown area; if possible take a taxi at night. Arena bar should be avoided at all costs.

At pedestrian crossings, do not assume that it is safe to cross while the green man light is illuminated, because cars will still cross your path.

If the street performers sense that you are from a wealthy country, They will try to demand an insane amount of money from you and will become aggressive if you refuse to pay what they are asking.

Mobile (cell) phones: GSM (900/1800) and 3G (CDMA, UMTS) is used in Ukraine. This system is compatible with mobile phone networks used in Europe, most of Asia, Australia, New Zealand.
If you have an unlocked GSM phone, you can get an Kyivstar [83], Vodafone [84] or Lifecell[85] SIM card for a ~2 dollars available in official shops, different mobile phone shops or at almost all supermarkets and shops through the city, which will give you a local number and free incoming calls. Note that most of those cards don't have money on their account so you may want to buy a top-up card when you buy a sim card. If you don't have an unlocked phone already, new ones can be had for USD 30-40 and a touch cheaper if you buy a pay-as-you-go sim card at the same time. Incoming calls are free in Ukraine so in extremis you can just SMS/text a request for a return call for a small charge.

Up to 2014 all three providers only offered 2G up to EDGE (236 kbps) speed. Back in 2007 the first 3G/UMTS licence was given to state-owned Ukrtelecom and its subdivision U'tel that has marketed its 3G offer under brand name 3mob in some towns.
Things changed in 2015: the president ordered to free frequencies previously blocked by the military to be used for 3G and 4G. The three networks finally received licenses to operate 3G on 2100 MHz and all major providers started their 3G/UMTS networks in addition to 3mob. In 2016 MTS is trying to buy 3mob pending administrative approval. 4G/LTE is in testing stage and announced for 2017, but operators still await licensing.

If you are roaming in Kyiv, SMS messages do work well. They are confirmed to work for most foreign networks. Do note that the size of the country and the relative low population densities of rural areas means that sometimes there might be 'black-spots' where mobiles will not work. But of course these are away from the main cities/urban areas (and most of the main arterial road and rail routes also have reasonably consistent call signals).

If you are trying to call the US from your GSM phone, you may find that the access numbers for your calling card are blocked. Plan ahead and sign up with a callback service (such as UWT [86] **warning, lead-time required**) before you start your travels and you can provoke them to call you (at much better rates) when you need to make a call.

Free Wi-Fi is available on the few central metro stations (underground) such as Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Khreshchatyk, Teatralna, Olimpiiska, Palats Sportu, Lva Tolstoho etc. The network is called "Mosquito".

Also cafés (see "Drink" section above) and a lot of fast food restaurants (including McDonald's) offer free Wi-Fi. Some require password to use their access point, ask waiter to get it.

An easy way to maintain internet connectivity using your own laptop is to buy a 7-day unlimited Lucky Internet callback card. They are about UAH36 at street kiosks. When you dial in, you will be initially firewalled off from everything until you activate by visiting their website

You may also buy wireless internet access for your laptop for about UAH10 per day from freshtel.

Internet cafes have a good service. They usually have different types of computers with varying prices.

Near the metro station on ul Khmelnytskoho (on the left side at a corner) there is one that is very good, open 24 hours non stop. The cheapest computers cover your basic needs, the most expensive ones are usually for hardcore gamers.

Kyiv was part of the former USSR. Some things work well and other things may be broken. There is no point in stressing about this. Arrive with that realization and be prepared to roll with a few surprises.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!